The Republican Caucus has a plan to fix our transportation system, to invest in our business community, to get mothers and fathers home from work quicker, and do it without tax increases, without tolls, without a “mileage tax.”
Our proposal, “Prioritize Progress” calls for $37 billion of transportation infrastructure improvements over 30 years.
Report by Paula Antolini
December 29, 2015 6:52PM EDT
Senator Toni Boucher: Connecticut’s Transportation Roller Coaster
Just before Christmas Jim Cameron, the founder of Commuter Action Group, gave grim predictions for 2016.
Among other things, he predicts that: Our highways will become more congested, Metro North will add commuters, and the state will look to tolls, vehicle tax increases, and higher gas taxes to pay for Governor Malloy’s $100 billion transportation plan. (Read more here: http://www.talkingtransportation.blogspot.co/)
You would think that after this Governor’s administration enacted the two largest tax increases in state history, we would not be talking about adding new taxes to the books.
And yet, it has become so commonplace, so ingrained in the minds of our residents and reporters that many predict more taxes, expect more taxes, and are finding themselves looking for a way out.
It is widely reported that our state is losing businesses and residents at an alarming rate; not because of poor education, we have a great educational system, not because of the weather, we have always had beautiful winters and steamy summers. It is the tax and spend treadmill and nonstop budget deficit roller coaster that is scaring away our citizens and our businesses.
The Republican Caucus has a plan to fix our transportation system, to invest in our business community, to get mothers and fathers home from work quicker, and do it without tax increases, without tolls, without a “mileage tax.”
Our proposal, “Prioritize Progress” calls for $37 billion of transportation infrastructure improvements over 30 years. We fund them by simply using the Special Transportation Fund to actually fund transportation projects, by using a portion of bonding to invest in our roads and bridges rather than handing out political favors, and by adding matching federal funds for transportation projects we could increase the investment to $67 billion.
Connecticut cannot tax its way to prosperity. We must improve our highways, especially I-95 and the Merritt Parkway, bridges, rail lines and the Stamford Commuter Parking Garage using tax money that we have designated for transportation purposes.
I will not vote for tolls, “mileage taxes” or other new taxes to pay for transportation as the majority party continues to raid the special transportation fund to pay off other debts.
We have a plan. We need to implement it. We need to keep Connecticut moving ahead.
For more information on: Prioritize Progress
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My way or the highway.